Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar and party’s campaign committee chief MB Patil may have courted controversy over the earlier statement, but there is no end to the public spat between their supporters.
In Shivakumar’s recent statement, it was suggested that CN Ashwath Narayan, the higher education minister of the ruling BJP, may have met Patil for security.
Denying any such meeting, Babaleshwar MLA Patil had strongly objected to the remarks of the KPCC president, stating that he would take up the matter on the party platform.
Shivakumar and Patil met at the party’s ‘Chintan Shivir’ in Rajasthan’s Udaipur on Friday, where Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is said to have held them together and made peace.
Sharing a picture of them together, Shivakumar tweeted, “Sharing a light-hearted moment with my friend and fellow colleague Shri @MBPatil at Congress Party’s #ChintanShivar in Udaipur.”
Former Congress MP Divya Spandana (Ramya), who expressed surprise at Shivakumar’s allegations against Patil, while urging the leaders to fight as a unit, spoke to Karnataka’s party general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala and another party leader. Congratulations to the officer. Ceasefire.
“Good job @rssurjewala @KBByju,” he tweeted while commenting on a picture of Shivakumar and Patil at the Chintan Shivir.
However, Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress president Mohammad Haris Nalapada tried to question Spandana’s association with the party, a day after he targeted her in a tweet, saying he was out on bail when he initially asked Shivakumar. He was attacked for criticizing him.
Talking to reporters in Mysore, he said, “If anyone speaks against our leaders, we will fight… Ramya was an MP from our party. I don’t know what she is doing or where she is for the last four years, she has to fight.” Let me clarify…what I have said, he should not have tweeted…is it correct to tweet (against Shivakumar)?”
Describing it as her right to question anyone who targets her leader as a Congress worker of the party, Nalapad said, “I will raise it on the party platform, but as she went public earlier, we have asked her publicly. Have questioned. That’s all.”
When asked if she belongs to the party, she said, “I don’t know, she is a former MP of the party. (K) Tweeting. It was wrong, we condemn it… I know he has no responsibility in the party after resigning.”
Spandana has earlier headed the social media team of the Congress. Nalapad had initially accused him of trying to get attention and find a way back to the party.
Spandana had retorted with a tweet, “This boy is the Hon’ble KPYCC President (on bail) son of Nalapad MLA Harris, and he is questioning my integrity. Wow!”
He had accused Shivakumar of trolling the KPCC to target him after his comments against him. “So ‘office’ has circulated these messages among Congress leaders and volunteers asking them to troll me. Save yourself the trouble – I will do it myself,” she said in a tweet with screenshots of the content That party workers were allegedly asked to tweet against him.
“Office = @INCKarnataka Led by Honorable KPCC President @DKShivakumar,” she said in another tweet.
Spandana had also urged AICC general secretary KC Venugopal to come to his rescue. “After I left, she cheated Congress of 8 crores and ran away” was posted in news exclusive Kannada channels in an attempt to destroy my credibility. I didn’t run I have resigned due to personal reasons. I certainly did not cheat the party of 8 crores. It was my mistake to remain silent. Live with this abuse and troll for the rest of your life.”
With tweets purportedly made at him by Shivakumar’s supporters, Patil had on Thursday jumped to Shivakumar’s defense indicating a ceasefire.
“Congress is a party of internal democracy. Unwritten code of conduct exists in politics. Those were violated. Hence @divyaspandana expressing her opinion in the best interest of the party,” he tweeted.
Patil said that some people in the party took turns and downplayed him, he is a former MP and he has worked against all odds for the party. “Whereas the KPCC president himself had asked everyone to end the discussion. Taking this forward is unnecessary and harmful for Karnataka 2023. I urge all party men and women to end this here and focus on the bigger mission. Let’s work together,” he said.
Earlier on Thursday, Shivakumar expressed surprise over the controversy following his statement, saying, “When journalists asked (Karnataka minister) Narayan about Patil’s meeting, I said that the former may have overshadowed the latter. If anyone is hurt, we will discuss inside the party.”
According to several party insiders, the turn of events showed factions within the Karnataka Congress and such incidents are detrimental to the party as it prepares for the 2023 Assembly elections.
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